When trying to track down the exact locations of some of the photos used in our carspotting series, we’re usually beholden to more or less temporary structures such as buildings, bridges, and even roads. Today’s carspotting photo, a postcard image of Sedona, Arizona, posted to Flickr by it’s better than bad, offers a much more lasting landmark by which we can pinpoint the photo location, along Route 89A. What do you see here, besides those grand rock formations?

23 Responses to “Sedona, Arizona, 1950s”

Well, there’s a 1953 – ’54 Loewy Coupe Studebaker on the right edge of the photo, for starters. Love that color combo. There are also a couple of Chevy Advance Design pickups a little to the left of the Stude.

While I’ve never actually been to Sedona, I have travelled extensively throughout Arizona and I absolutely love the majestic ladscapes.

I see a Studebaker on the far right. A 49 Chrysler getting some open air repairs. Nice 54 Ford woodie wagon, 55 Cadillac, 56 Ford. The light blue pickup also looks like a mid-late 50′s Ford. Not sure about the other pickup.

Almuck, Id live down there very easily. A beautiful state if there ever was one. Im thinking the photo was taken in `55, since that is the newest year car I spot. Nice `54 Caddy & `55 Pontiac at the pumps. Looks like Gramps got a flat tire on his `49 DeSoto and needed a patch. Across the street, a `53 Lincoln Capri & `54 Buick reside outside the real estate office. I’ll take the `53 Squire; more room to haul things.

The first thought I had was Hill Valley before the future caught up with it, but I see that is in California. Once again it seems that even then John Doe was driving quite a late model motor car, if this had been taken in UK at the same period there would have been 30s cars still very much in evidence.

Yes, that’s a Kaiser. Is the blue car to its left a Packard Clipper? The car further up, at the far end of the row, looks to be one of the bathtub Packards. The brown Chrysler (or is it a Plymouth – it doesn’t appear to have the three-rdged Chrysler bumper) looks like it’s getting a right front tire repaired or replaced.

Thanks for confirming. Spent the holiday with my dad (his ’88th birthday) and playing around with his latest toy (’81 380 SL). One memory was my grandfather planning on trading his ’54 Manhattan in on a new Chevy and my dad talking him into trading in his ’54 Hornet so that my mom could have the Kaiser.

The white pickup looks like a 1955 or 1956 Chevy or GMC; the angle of the B-pillars, and the narrow rear window, seem to rule out Ford. I like the billboards on the Advance Design truck next to it, and the ’55 (I think; could be a ’56) Ford is pretty nice, too.

……..busy day in Canyon Forks, love these Southwestern car colors……Shell dealer may be dabbling in used cars…….a 13 year old me would be drooling over that yellow ’55 Victoria, hopefully with the “power pack” 272 and duals………the rest, despite the neat colors, were just uncool “daddy’s” cars…….especially the 3-legged Desoto.

I’m going out on a limb here. I don’t think the blue truck with the “Goodyear” sideboards is an Advance Design. The relationship of the back glass to the roof of the truck seems too flat to me – could it be a Studebaker pickup? The other blue truck next to the ’55 Ford has a distinctive beltline on the door – makes me think it’s an IH.

I’d love stroll across the street and see what’s for sale at the real estate office and for what price. . .

…….you may be too late, Scott, I bought one of the last pieces of oceanfront property in Arizona back in 1987…….also bought a MkIII Lincoln in Kingman on the same trip…..Continental was a disaster, but I’m thinking of cashing in the real estate soon….

It’s not a Studebaker. A Stude would have its gas cap on the driver’s side of the cab. Internationals and Dodges were also filled from the driver’s side. As the truck in question is almost certainly a post-WWII American full-size, a Ford F-1 is the only other possibility. However, the shape of the rear fenders is wrong for an F-1. I think that International is a good guess for the make of the other blue-green truck, though.

…….judging by the banner, this was the “Shell with TCP” era……anybody remember what that concoction was? Undoubtedly caused cancer in mice, right up there with DDT and other catchy breakthroughs……..worked like a charm, though……always bought it, or Sunoco 240, 260, or the elusive 280, good for an instant 100hp boost, or so we liked to think.

I’ve been to Sedona 4-5 time’s. it’s just beautiful there and doesn’t get to cold like flagstaff a half hour north. the original 3:10 to Yuma was filmed there as were a lot of movie’s back then. it’s only 2, 2 1/2 hour’s north of phoenix so go see it.

Nice place to visit but can’t afford to stay very long. It has at least grown 10x over since I first saw Sedona in the early 70s. Love riding my Electra Glide on 89a through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. Beautiful ride through the mountains.